Agile Program Manager with Security Clearance

Cornerstone Defense; Chevy Chase (MD); On-site; USD 176,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Plans

401(k)

HSA and FSA options

Life and Disability Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement and Training

Job summary

Cornerstone Defense in Bethesda, MD seeks an experienced Agile Program Manager to lead enterprise-scale transformation using SAFe. You will coach teams, facilitate ceremonies, and align stakeholders to deliver high‑quality capabilities for critical defense missions.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in agile leadership, SAFe certifications, and a proven ability to implement agile practices across portfolios, programs, and projects while driving continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with poly is required.
• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/MIS or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of related experience with 5+ years implementing Agile methodologies across portfolio, program and project levels.
• SAFe certifications (POPM, RTE, SSM, SA, etc.) are required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and transformation of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) within and across multiple organizations.
• Facilitate SAFe ceremonies, such as PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, System Demos, and Inspect and Adapt as part of ART.
• Provide coaching and guidance to Agile teams, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and leadership on SAFe practices and principles.
• Develop and deliver SAFe training programs to build Agile capabilities across the organization.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define and prioritize the program and portfolio backlogs (emphasis).
• Assist in the identification and resolution of impediments that impact Agile team performance and delivery.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by identifying and implementing process enhancements.
• Track and report on key performance metrics to measure the success and maturity of the Agile transformation (emphasis).
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices in Agile and SAFe methodologies.

Skills

Agile methodologies

SAFe

Coaching

Stakeholder alignment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / IT / MIS or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

SAFe Certifications

Job description

Title: Agile Program Manager Location: Bethesda, MD Compensation Range: $195k approximately

Clearance

• Clearance:
• Active TS/SCI w/ Polygraph needed to apply

Company Overview

Company Overview: Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation's toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don't look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Benefits Overview

• Benefits Overview : Cornerstone Defense offers a very comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to: Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Generous PTO Policy
• 401(k)
• HSA and FSA options
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement and Training
• Perks at Work Discount Program
• Referral Program
• Leads Generation Program
• CollegeAmerica 529
• Fitness Reimbursement Program
• Travel Assistance
• Norton Lifelock Benefit Solutions
• Life Planning Financial & Legal Services

We are seeking a motivated, career and customer-oriented Agile Program Manager to join our team at Bethesda, MD, to provide unparalleled support to our customer and to begin an exciting and rewarding career. We are seeking an experienced Agile program management SME to lead and support our Agile program management transformation journey. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of Agile methodology (e.g., Scaled Agile (SAFe)) principles and practices, with a proven track record of implementing Agile methodologies across various teams and projects. The Agile program management SME will work closely with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and leadership to drive continuous improvement and ensure successful delivery of high-quality products and services.

Key Responsibilities :

• Lead the implementation and transformation of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) within and across multiple organizations.
• Facilitate SAFe ceremonies, such as PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, System Demos, and Inspect and Adapt as part of Agile Release Train (ART).
• Provide coaching and guidance to Agile teams, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and leadership on SAFe practices and principles.
• Develop and deliver SAFe training programs to build Agile capabilities across the organization.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define and prioritize the program and portfolio backlogs (emphasis).
• Assist in the identification and resolution of impediments that impact Agile team performance and delivery.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by identifying and implementing process enhancements.
• Track and report on key performance metrics to measure the success and maturity of the Agile transformation (emphasis).
• Stay current with industry trends and best practices in Agile and SAFe methodologies.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with poly is required.
• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of related experience with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in implementing Agile methodologies across portfolio, program and project levels.
• SAFe certifications (e.g., SAFe Product Owner (POPM)), Agile Release Train Engineer, SAFe Scrum Master (SSM), SAFe Agilist (SA) and etc.) are required.